> Why do landlords think they need a broker in order to rent out their units in NYC? Because they know that the fee will be paid by the tenant, so why not? >

> Why do landlords think they need a broker in order to rent out their units in NYC? Because they know that the fee will be paid by the tenant, so why not? > I live in SF and I've never heard of such a thing here BTW brokers are very common in SF as well, usually called "leasing agent" or something similar. Every non-corporate rental I ever looked at had a broker involved at some level, e.g. organizing open houses, doing private tours, sending out application forms, vetting applicants, sending out lease agreements. It's just that you as the tenant don't have to know or care because you aren't the one footing the bill.